Business Humanitarian Forum (BHF)

The BHF has initiated and carried out several economic and social development projects in post-conflict areas and helped create partnerships between businesses, humanitarian agencies and local governments. The BHF does this by arranging for direct private sector involvement and investment in areas where it is needed, and by providing training and facilitating dialogue between organizations and private companies. The BHF has also sponsored contact groups, workshops and conferences to heighten awareness of the important role that business can play in alleviating humanitarian problems.

Mandate and Objectives:

The Business-Humanitarian Forum (BHF), established in 1999, encourages better understanding and cooperation between the public and private sectors, and works with partners to address humanitarian problems and promote sustainable economic development. The BHF does this by arranging for direct private sector involvement and investment in areas where it is needed, and by providing training and facilitating dialogue between organizations and private companies. The BHF builds awareness that business has a strong, long-term economic, political and social interest in supporting the work of the humanitarian community, and that private sector investment is the key element for economic development and overcoming long-term humanitarian problems. Both sectors are essential for the stabilization and social progress of developing and post-conflict societies. The BHF is a non-profit association based in Geneva and was founded with the encouragement of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. For more information on the BHF, visit www.bhforum.org

Employment Generation

Concrete economic development projects in post-conflict and developing countries

Types of activities:

Advocacy

Capacity and development training

Direct project implementation

Financial support

Monitoring and Evaluation

Project support services

Technical assistance

Description of activities

Capacity development and training:

The BHF has carried out different types of workshops and seminars in various countries regarding. / Switzerland, USA, and other

Direct project implementation:

The BHF has provided technical assistance for a number of projects. / Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan

Financial support:

The BHF has supported a number of humanitarian projects

Monitoring and Evaluation:

The BHF has carried out different types of workshops and seminars in various countries regarding. / Switzerland, USA, and other

Project support services:

The BHF has carried out different types of workshops and seminars in various countries regarding. / Switzerland, USA, and other

Technical assistance:

The BHF has provided technical assistance for a number of projects. / Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan

Economic Foundations for Growth and Development

Organisation's added-value:

Workshops and other types of events on issues relating to peacebuilding, cross-sector partnerships for economic and humanitarian development, business and human rights, etc. involving public, private, IO and NGO sectors.

Works with partners to address humanitarian problems and promote sustainable economic development. The BHF does this by arranging for direct private sector involvement and investment in areas where it is needed, and by providing training and facilitating dialogue between organizations and private companies.